ABOUT JDPC

The Justice, Development and Peace Centre (JDPC) is the structure through which the Church responds to social issues affecting all men and women created in the image and likeness of God. The manner of this response is based on the Social Teachings of the Church (STC). According to the Vatican II document, every Catholic – both Clergy and Laity – by virtue of our baptism, is commissioned to stand up for justice and peace wherever we find ourselves. This is why the JDPC is not regarded as a Lay Apostolate Society, but a unique structure (commission) to which bishops, priests, the religious and the lay faithful automatically belong.

However, the Church entrusts the duty of identifying, fighting and correcting all unjust structures in the hands of only a few of the faithful who volunteer as active and registered members of the JDPC on behalf of the entire Church, while the rest of the faithful are expected to participate by way of moral, material, logistic and financial support, etc.

Why the JDPC?

According to Pope Paul VI, when sin takes the form of a structure, one requires another structure to adequately combat and overcome it. It is clear that in the modern world, cases of injustice, corruption, bad governance, discrimination and other societal ills have assumed alarming dimensions at all levels of human existence.

Consequently, the JDPC structure emerged as part of the mission of the Church towards the holistic salvation of man (that is, both Spiritual and Physical).

OUR VISION

To bring the kingdom of God within the society in its entirety, liberating all people from every oppressive force that keep them under bondage, irrespective of race, creed and gender.

OUR MISSION

The promotion of sustainable and integral human development through holistic empowerment approach, and enhancing effective structural transformation of the society, without any form of discrimination.

GOALS

  1. To promote the quality of life for all people through the enhancement of human development.
  2. To promote and sustain human rights and dignity as contained in such instruments as universal declaration of human rights; the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, and the Nigerian Constitution.
  3. To animate and form groups to participate in their own development for the common good.
  4. To build the capacity of individuals and groups, so that they are able to help themselves and contribute meaningful to the society.
  5. To make a preferential option for the poor and marginalized.
  6. To identify unjust structures and take corrective actions.
  7. To create a forum for information gathering and dissemination as a community empowerment tool.
  8. To cooperate and network with international agencies, governmental agencies and other NGOs for integral development, poverty reduction and good governance.
  9. To propagate and promote the Social Teachings of the Church (STC) as a way of contributing to the process of social transformation.
HIS EMINENCE CARDINAL PETER K.A TURKSON
HIS GRACE MOST REV. ALFRED ADEWALE MARTINS
REV. FR. RAYMOND ANOLIEFO DIRECTOR, JDPC LAGOS